Dreams

I want to be a translator -- translate Japanese to English. It's a bit of a bold dream, since I don't speak much Japanese at all, but I'm extremely confident in my language learning skills (no, that doesn't make me arrogant -- language learning skills do not in any way make a person inherently better than anyone else), so I think it's an attainable dream.

Becoming a published author, on the other hand, is a dream that I can barely admit I have, because it seems so presumptous. Heavens, I didn't even take any creative writing classes in college! Writing has been a HUGE part of my life ever since I first learned how, but it's mostly been in journals and such, and not actually stories. On the bright side, even if I'm never published, writing skills would help as a translator, too. But anyway, here I am, actually admitting it's a dream, and a dream that I've begun to work towards recently. You won't be seeing any of my stories on here for a while, but maybe someday.

In the meantime, I'd like to say that I would like to meet Shannon Hale someday. She just sounds like the sort of person who would make a very good friend. Andrea would like her too. Her latest book just won a Newbery Honor, and this is her reaction.

Analogy Police

http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/archive/dilbert-20060122.html

The Logic of Grocery Stores

The cans you see before you have several things in common: they are, in fact, cans; they all contain some form of tomato; and two of them are going in my vegetable soup. Can you guess what they don't have in common, aside from size and a few different colors? One of them, the tomato juice, is not to be found in the canned vegetable aisle, no matter how much time you spend staring at the shelves. You will only find it in the beverage aisle. Think about this a little. The canned vegetable aisle contains diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and pretty much any other variety or combination of tomatoes under the sun. The beverage aisle contains many bottles of liquid, including some bottles of tomato juice. It contains many cans as well, although they're generally the soda sort of can, not the soup sort. Generally, but obviously not without exception. "Honey, could you hand me the can opener and that quart of tomato juice you bought the other day? I'm feeling a mite thirsty."

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

Recently I decided to start rereading The Chronicles of Narnia, in part because the movie was coming out at the time, of course. If anyone reading this actually hasn’t read the books, go! Read! Put down the computer, and slowly back away… er, yes. You’re not too old to read them. I wonder… I may have read them more times than any other books. Anyway, I’ve read the first two (no, not The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian! I’m reading them in the proper order!) so far, and don’t have a lot to say – I mean, since all of you have read them as well. There were a few quotes in Prince Caspian I particularly enjoyed this time around. A serious one: “‘Aslan,’ said Lucy, ‘you’re bigger.’
‘That is because you are older, little one,’ answered he.
‘Not because you are?’
‘I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.’”

And then a couple amusing ones: “‘Yes,’ said the Bear. ‘But it was always a right of the bears to supply one marshal of the lists.’
‘Don’t let him,’ whispered Trumpkin to Peter. ‘He’s a good creature, but he’ll shame us all. He’ll go to sleep and he will suck his paws. In front of the enemy too.’
‘I can’t help that,’ said Peter. ‘Because he’s quite right. The Bears had that privilege. I can’t imagine how it has been remembered all these years, when so many other things have been forgotten.’
‘Please, your Majesty,’ said the Bear.
‘It is your right,’ said Peter. ‘And you shall be one of the marshals. But you must remember not to suck your paws.’
‘Of course not,’ said the Bear in a very shocked voice.
‘Why, you’re doing it this minute!’ bellowed Trumpkin.”

And: “You can’t help feeling stronger when you look at a place where you won a glorious victory not to mention a kingdom, hundreds of years ago.” I’ve certainly always found that to be the case.

As for the movie, I quite enjoyed it. There were only a couple things that really bugged me, which isn’t bad. If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie (then why are you still here?) or if you’ve read the book but haven’t seen the movie yet and don’t want to know any details about the movie ahead of time; Spoiler! (The rest of you, scroll down.)












I think the one thing that bugged me the most was when the Beavers were talking to the children, and they said that the winter spell was breaking because of the hope the children had brought. What the heck?! The spell broke because Aslan was moving! The children had no power in themselves! A few other things were a bit annoying, but there are serious Theological Ramifications here!

Ok, now that’s off my chest, I feel better. Good night, all.

I have a digital camera!

Last year at this time I'd just barely started my new blog. Now I start exhibiting withdrawal symptoms when I haven't posted in a while. Whenever anything happens, I think about how to write it up for my blog. I get a digital camera, and the first thought in my mind is, "Oooh, now it'll be really easy to post pictures!" Good thing, too, or how would I blog the new "I'm blogging this" shirt I got for Christmas? I wouldn't want to lie! 

Yes I am. Be afraid. Be very afraid. 

Our first Christmas tree! And books. But those aren't important in this case. Well, except to show how small the tree is. Er, was. It's gone now. It was cute. I liked it. It smelled good. 

John and I went to Disneyland with his family on the 23rd. He gave me the camera early so I could bring it with me. 

It was a very crowded place to be. John loves crowds, so he had a great time. He wants to go back, as soon as possible. I told him it wouldn't be worth it, because the crowds wouldn't be there anymore, but he doesn't believe me. 

With a camera to play with while we waited in line, I was very content. 

 

Beth, Stephen, and I waiting for the fireworks. Soon we gave up. 

Merry Christmas!


 

Ron didn't want me to take his picture. Now he's on my blog! Mwah ha ha ha! 

Ha! I can see your cards! 

What's happening...? 

This is 11 of the 13; in order, of course. Now that I've embarassed all of you, none of you can complain. Yeah... 

And here are the married ones, with their spouses and children.

 

This is Boo, the kitten at my parent's house. It's her first winter, and she doesn't know many people don't consider Southern California to actually have a winter. That's why she's sleeping on the furnace. 

Don't let her cute demeanor fool you.  

I'm not the only one who likes my camera. Boo finds it quite tasty, in fact. 

She and the chair are quite photogenic. 

 

 

 

She's vicious. 

But not as vicious as kids who play videogames! 

Wendy! Your hand! 

Speaking of scary...